2 February 2010

Second Lesson: Trotting in Hand

Today we learnt to trot our horses in hand. This was quite challenging for me. I will need to practice hard this week to make sure I am doing it correctly. I tend to focus on one part of the exercise and forget about the other important parts, such as the pressure I am applying on the halter, which is not good. I am thus confusing Jupiter by given him mixed signals. So practice, hopefully, makes perfect.

I also tend to be a little soft. Which means I am making Jupiter 'harder'. As Tas explained: If I apply the correct (more) pressure, starting soft and then building up more quickly, he should become more sensitive to the lightest touch. But if I am too soft, and don't build the pressure more clearly, he just won't bother to listen and it will eventually take much more force to get him to move. This feels counter-intuitive to me as I am an extremely non-confrontational person,  but it makes perfect, rational sense. By being too soft I am putting myself in the exact situation I don't want to be in.

Jupiter seems to be very forgiving, though. It's as though he gets it even when I am messing up a little. Sabik and Mahogany are more of a challenge for me, though. But they are showing me that I need a lot of work.

Francois really got it. He and Sabik both did so well.  I was so impressed. He managed to get Sabik to do exactly what he wanted from him. Now it is just a matter of refinement and a little fitness.

Tas was amazing. She is so good with the horses. And good with me. I really feel she is the best teacher we could ever have asked for.
A while after Tas had left I practiced a little with Mahogany. She was very sensitive. It is as though she skipped the whole trot part and went directly into a canter. A bit quick for me. I wasn't expecting it. I did manage to calm her down and get her to trot. But I will need to do some work. I don't want to confuse the horses too much. So I will work very hard this week. Even practicing on Francois, as Tas suggested. We also have some reading to do: Andrew McLean's Exclusivity Principle. Last week we studied his Pressure Principle.   These are part of Andrew McLean's PhD thesis. Part of his thesis was the proposition of eight training principles. Of which these are two. I think I will also reread the Pressure principle a few times again. It is amazing how much the theory helps. But I think the real work is definitely when you put it into practice.

Jupiter is responding so well. He even runs up to me when I have the halter. He is enjoying this adventure... and so am I.

What a day! This is such a wonderful journey. I am looking forward to working with our horses this week and to next week's lesson so much.